Michel Debost, Legendary Flute Professor and Performer, Dies at 92</h1> <article> <h1>Michel Debost, Legendary Flute Professor and Performer, Dies at 92</h1> <p>eburnett — Wed, 06 May 2026 13:59:02 +0000</p> <span>Michel Debost, Legendary Flute Professor and Performer, Dies at 92</span> <span><span>eburnett</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-05-06T09:59:02-04:00" title="Wednesday, May 6, 2026 - 09:59">Wed, 05/06/2026 - 09:59</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Michel Debost, an internationally celebrated flutist who taught at ��سԹ� from 1989 until his retirement in 2011, died May 2 in his native France. He was 92.</p><p>Debost leaves behind a legacy as an exemplary performer, teacher, and colleague. As a young musician, he studied at the Paris Conservatory, where he won first prize in flute, an honor followed by top honors in the international competitions of Prague, Munich, Moscow, Geneva, and Turin.</p><p>He was the longtime principal flutist of the Orchestre de Paris from its founding in 1967 until 1989, a legendary soloist, and a revered professor at the Paris Conservatory, where he succeeded fellow luminary Jean-Pierre Rampal. He recorded a wealth of flute repertoire for EMI and a variety of other labels.</p><p>"As a musician, he was, of course, extraordinary: a truly commanding flute player with a huge, resonant sound, exceptional control of the air, and a deep musical intelligence," says Professor of Clarinet <a href="/richard-hawkins" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="c3e1fd70-d852-412f-b8b9-41f42d375b11" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Richard Hawkins">Richard Hawkins</a>, a longtime colleague and friend of Debost.</p><p>At ��سԹ�, Debost developed Prima Vista, a woodwind quintet reading course that remains a central part of the first-year curriculum.</p><p>"Students consistently point to it as a transformative experience, and Michel had a remarkable gift for teaching the art of sight-reading with both rigor and encouragement," says Hawkins.</p><p>Among the generations of ��سԹ� flute students taught by Debost are Grammy Award-winners Claire Chase ’01, who went on to co-found the International Contemporary Ensemble, and Molly Barth ’97 of Eighth Blackbird.</p><p>“He taught with tremendous passion throughout his career, and his devoted students demonstrate success across a remarkably wide range of careers and playing styles,” says Professor of Flute <a href="/alexa-still" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="3e1a79cf-02ac-4e57-9622-e4380853f2f0" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Alexa Still">Alexa Still</a>, who succeeded Debost on the ��سԹ� faculty.</p><p>Hawkins reflected on Debost’s impact with colleagues on the morning after his passing. "Many of us found ourselves thinking about Michel, his larger-than-life personality, and his extraordinary capacity to work tirelessly with so many students," he says. "He was a wonderful colleague—gracious, elegant, and always impeccably dressed in suits and ties—and he was especially kind to me when I first arrived at ��سԹ�."</p><p>Debost is survived by his wife, renowned flutist and professor Kathleen Chastain, who also taught at ��سԹ� from 1993 until her retirement in 2013.</p><p>A memorial in honor of Debost will be planned at ��سԹ�, with details to follow in Campus Digest.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">French-born master launched a wealth of standout ��سԹ� musicians as a 22-year member of the faculty.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">Campus News</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2026-05-06T12:00:00Z">Wed, 05/06/2026 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2412">Obituaries</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=35911">Flute</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/richard-hawkins" hreflang="und">Richard Hawkins</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/alexa-still" hreflang="und">Alexa Still</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/winds-brass-and-percussion" hreflang="und">Winds, Brass, and Percussion</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>Winter Term in ��سԹ�: 2020</h1> <p>ygay — Mon, 24 Feb 2020 15:35:06 +0000</p> <span>Winter Term in ��سԹ�: 2020</span> <span><span>ygay</span></span> <span><time datetime="2020-02-24T10:35:06-05:00" title="Monday, February 24, 2020 - 10:35">Mon, 02/24/2020 - 10:35</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">Campus News</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2020-02-24T12:00:00Z">Mon, 02/24/2020 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Yvonne Gay</div> <div class="text-content field field--name-field-intro-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p><a class="view-more" href="https://photo-stories.oberlin.edu/winter-term-in-oberlin/">Browse Winter Term in ��سԹ�: 2020</a></p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2413">Social Sciences</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2378">Allen Memorial Art Museum</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25346">English</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=33031">TIMARA</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25411">Physics</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25326">Creative Writing</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25456">Russian</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25276">Latin American Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25381">History</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25331">Dance</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25376">Greek Language and Literature</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25436">Studio Art</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=35596">Voice</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25441">Theater</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25306">Chemistry</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25246">Biochemistry</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=35911">Flute</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/abby-aresty" hreflang="und">Abby Aresty</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/joshua-sperling" hreflang="und">Joshua Sperling</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/peter-naegele" hreflang="und">Peter Naegele</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/abe-reshad" hreflang="und">Abe Reshad</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/jan-cooper" hreflang="und">Jan Cooper</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/jason-stalnaker" hreflang="und">Jason Stalnaker</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/will-parsons" hreflang="und">William (Will) Parsons</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/chemistry-biochemistry" hreflang="und">Chemistry and Biochemistry</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/theater" hreflang="und">Theater</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/strings" hreflang="und">Strings</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/winds-brass-and-percussion" hreflang="und">Winds, Brass, and Percussion</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/vocal-studies" hreflang="und">Vocal Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/dance" hreflang="und">Dance</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/history" hreflang="und">History</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/russian" hreflang="und">Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/creative-writing" hreflang="und">Creative Writing</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/physics-and-astronomy" hreflang="und">Physics and Astronomy</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/art" hreflang="und">Studio Art</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/english" hreflang="und">English</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/contemporary-music" hreflang="und">Contemporary Music</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/latin-american-studies" hreflang="und">Latin American Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Students in the Practicum in Exhibit Design project work on a community-informed exhibit of Alaska Native cultural objects that will be displayed in the Mary Church Terrell Library in the spring.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Yvonne Gay</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> </main></body></html>